Theater News

William L. Petersen to Star in Steppenwolf’s Dublin Carol

William L. Petersen
William L. Petersen

William L. Petersen, star of CBS-TV’s CSI, will star in Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s production of Dublin Carol, written by Conor McPherson. Directed by Amy Morton, the production will run November 6-December 21.

In the play, John, a man whose life was nearly destroyed by drinking, now holds down a steady job at a Dublin undertaker’s office. When his estranged daughter appears on Christmas Eve with disturbing news, it sets off a series of painful confessions that ultimately offer John a chance to escape the burdens of his past. The cast will also feature Stephen Louis Grush and Nicole Wiesner. Petersen previously performed in a 2006 production of Dublin Carol at Trinity Rep.

Steppenwolf’s season will begin with Kafka on the Shore (September 18-November 16), adapted for the stage and directed by Frank Galati, based on the work by Haruki Murakami. In the play, a young boy’s coming of age parallels an old man’s search for destiny in a modern day Japan where the borders between everyday reality, dreams and imagination are constantly crossed. The cast will include Christine Bunuan, Gerson Dacanay, Mary Ann de la Cruz, Francis Guinan, Jon Michael Hill, Christopher Larkin, Aiko Nakasone, Andrew Pang, David Rhee, and Lisa Tejero.

The theater will also present McPherson’s The Seafarer (December 4-February 8), directed by Randall Arney and featuring Francis Guinan, Tom Irwin, John Mahoney, and Alan Wilder. Set in Dublin on Christmas Eve, the play follows Sharky, who has returned home to look after his aging brother who’s recently gone blind. With old drinking buddies on hand for a card game and the arrival of a stranger from the distant past, the stakes get raised and Sharky finds himself playing for his very soul.

The season will continue with Art (February 5-June 7) by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton and directed by Rick Snyder. The piece explores the intricacies of a long-term friendship between three men, which is put in jeopardy when one of them drops a fortune on a piece of modern art. No casting has been announced for this production.

Shakespeare’s The Tempest will be directed by Tina Landau and feature Alana Arenas, K. Todd Freeman, Frank Galati, Jon Michael Hill, Yasen Peyankov, and Alan Wilder.

Closing the season is Up by Bridget Carpenter, directed by Anna D. Shapiro. On the best day of his life, Walter built a flying machine that reached the clouds. Ever since, he’s tried to invent new ways to fly while his wife keeps the family afloat.Casting will be announced at a later date.

For more information, visit www.steppenwolf.org.

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Dublin Carol

Closed: January 4, 2009